title: Effect of testosterone propionate on hippocampal pyramidal neuron number in female rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hippocampus is an important region of the brain that regulates cognitive and emotional functions. In this study, we examined the impact of perinatal administration of testosterone propionate (TP) on the number of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampi of female rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five groups of rats were used in this study. Three groups of female rats were administered TP in either both the prenatal and the postnatal periods (Group 1), only the prenatal period (Group 2) or only the postnatal period (Group 3). The other two groups of rats included control females (Group 4) and control males (Group 5). The rats were sacrificed on postnatal Day 120 and their brains were analysed for hippocampal pyramidal neuron number using stereological methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control male rats (Group 5; p = 0.043) and TP-treated female rats in Groups 1 (p = 0.012) and 2 (p = 0.037), but not Group 3 (p > 0.05), had a significantly higher number of pyramidal neurons than control female rats (Group 4). The rats in Group 1 had the highest number of pyramidal neurons among the female rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perinatal TP treatment has an augmenting effect on the number of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampi of female rats. We also found gender-based differences in the hippocampi of male and female rats, with a higher number of pyramidal neurons seen in male rats. Continuous TP administration during the prenatal and postnatal periods is more effective than administration only in the prenatal or postnatal period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20020, Turkey.
authors.forename: Masallah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candemir
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semiz
authors.forename: Goksin Nilufer
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Yonguc
authors.forename: Mehmet Bulent
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Gulcin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abban-Mete
authors.forename: Esat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adiguzel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043343:Testosterone Propionate / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D043343:Testosterone Propionate